Method and apparatus for reducing communication latency in a wirless group call

ABSTRACT

A wireless handheld communication device ( 102 ) for reducing a communication delay at a proximate wireless communication device is disclosed. The wireless handheld communication device simultaneously transmits to a remote station ( 106 ) through a base station ( 108 ), and transmits to the proximate wireless communication device ( 104 ) directly. The method includes communicating a first communication on first link ( 116 ) to a proximate wireless communication device and communicating, simultaneously with communicating the first communication, a second communication on a second link ( 112 ) to a base station, wherein the first communication and the second communication are substantially the same.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to wireless communicationrouting, and more particularly to wireless communication routing withproximate communication devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wireless communication devices and more particularly digital wirelesscommunications systems are generally known. One type of digitalcommunications system operates in one-way communication mode, or simplexoperation. Another type of communication system operates in simultaneoustwo-way communication mode or in duplex operation. Currentradiotelephones utilizing either of these forms of communicationcommunicate through a central node or base station in order tocommunicate with other radiotelephones. This is different from devicesthat operate in simplex mode such as walkie-talkies that communicatedirectly between units without an intermediary node or base station. Thewalkie-talkie mode is often referred to as push-to-talk operation as theuser must push and hold a button in to key up the transmitter andcommunicate. The walkie-talkie mode has also been incorporated into asystem known as Private Land Mobile Radio Service (PLMRS) and operatesin simplex mode through a base station. This type of system is alsoreferred to as push-to-talk operation while the device is in thewalkie-talkie mode.

One function of the base station type system in general is to achieve agreater distance over which communications can be achieved. Wirelesscommunication devices that communicate directly however are generallyconfined to line-of-sight distances for communication. Wireless devicesthat operate with a base station however, do not communicate directlywith other wireless communication devices in the line-of-sight operationmode.

The operation of the either duplex operating radiotelephone systems orpush-to-talk form of communication over radiotelephone or cellularnetworks and through base stations, subjects the communications tosignificant audio latency. This is due in part to speech coding, the airinterface transfer and synchronization delay, packet delivery latency,network latency, and the like. Although, this delay or latency is not asnoticeable to the users who are not within earshot or are not withinclose proximity to one another, it is noticeable to those that are. Whena user operates a device in a hands-free mode, and in close proximity toanother device, the user of the proximate device can hear thecommunication directly, or in real time, from the user traveling throughthe air and, at the same time, through significant delay, through thebase station system. Hearing the real time audio and the delayed audiofrom the base station makes communication difficult to understandbecause of the audio latency. This effect is exacerbated when there area plurality of units in close proximity to the originating device andare all on hands-free mode. Thus, in a group call mode, audio signalsfrom each device will reach each user at a different delay, makingcommunication very difficult and annoying.

What is needed is a communication device that can reduce the audiolatency to devices proximally located to the communication originatingdevice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various aspects, features and advantages of the present inventionwill become more fully apparent to those having ordinary skill in theart upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description ofthe Drawings with the accompanying drawings described below.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary communication system with a proximate and remotedevice;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary circuit schematic in block diagram form of awireless communication device;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary communication system with a proximate and remotedevice;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary flow diagram of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary communication system with a proximate and remotedevice;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary communication system with a proximate and remotedevice;

FIG. is an exemplary communication system with a proximate and remotedevice;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary communication system with a proximate and remotedevice;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary flow diagram of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an exemplary communication system with a proximate and remotedevice;

FIG. 11 is an exemplary flow diagram of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is an exemplary flow diagram of ad hoc network formation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An electronic wireless communication device for reducing the audiolatency at a proximate communication device by simultaneouslytransmitting information to at least two different communication devicesover two different paths and a method for operation thereof isdisclosed. A method of operating the wireless communication deviceincludes establishing a first link between a proximate wirelesscommunication device and a second link with a base station. The wirelesscommunication device identifies, or is already aware of, or is alertedto at least one proximate communication device that is in closeproximity to the wireless communication device. Next, the wirelesscommunication device establishes a connection, which may be a logicalcommunication connection, directly with the proximate communicationdevice such that the wireless communication device is connected with theproximate wireless communication device, through a first path or link,and with the base station concurrently through a second path,independent from the first path. Thus communication latency of the firstpath to the proximate communication device, can be less than thecommunication latency associated with current base stationcommunications as a result of the direct connection to the proximatecommunication device without being relayed through an intermediarysource such as a base station.

In one exemplary embodiment, shown in FIG. 1, three communicationsdevices are shown, a first device 102, a second device 104 and a thirddevice 106. At least the first device 102 and third device 106 have thecapability to operate on a network, which incorporates at least one basestation 108. The second device 104 may also operate with the basestation 108 but this is not necessary in this exemplary embodiment. Inthis exemplary embodiment, the three devices are capable of beingengaged in a group call with one another. At least one device cantransmit to at least two other devices simultaneously, one through thebase station 108 and the other directly. This may be, for example, insimplex mode operation where only one-way communication is possible orduplex mode operation where forward and reverse communications arepossible between the three devices. This is generally referred to asgroup call mode or conference call mode when more than two devices arecommunicating. The first device 102, is the call originating device inthis exemplary embodiment. The second device 104 is a proximate wirelesscommunication device located in close proximity to the first device 102.In general, close proximity or closely proximate is within ear-shot orwithin the range of normal hearing, but may also be defined as withinrange of a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point or at leastcloser than the distance from a base station to the first device 102.Users of the proximate devices 104 within ear-shot of the first device,which is at the source of the communication, will hear the communicationthrough the air 120 directly.

The third device 106 is a remote device and is not in close proximity tothe first device 102 or not within ear-shot of the first device 102, ornot in range of normal hearing. The third device 106 must utilize thebase station 108 to communicate with the first device 102. The thirddevice 106 operates under standard radiotelephone operating conditions,wherein the wireless communication devices operate on a network andcommunications from one device to another device are all completed orrelayed over a first communication path 110 through the base station108. In this exemplary embodiment, the wireless communication devicerelays a communication to the remote device through the base station108.

In the exemplary embodiment, shown in FIG. 1, the first device 102communicates information with the base station 108, over the firstcommunication link 112, which is a communication link. The base station108 then communicates the information over the second communication link118 to the desired remote receiving device, which is the third device106 in this embodiment. It should be noted that the information could berelayed from the base station 108 to a plurality of devices, and notjust the third device 106. One device, the third device 106, is used forexemplary purposes. When communicating through the base station 108,there is an inherent communication latency or delay between the firstdevice 102 and the third device 106 through the base station 108. Thisis due in part to signal processing and the relaying of thecommunication from the first device 102 to the base station 108 and thento the third device 106. The propagation between the transmitting orfirst device 102 and the base station 108 and then the propagationbetween the base station 108 and the receiving station or third device106 has an effect on the amount of communication delay as well.

In the present invention, as the first device 102 communicates with thethird device 106, the first device 102 simultaneously communicatesdirectly with the second device 104 over an alternate path, a secondcommunication path 116, and not through the intermediary base station108. FIG. 1 illustrates the alternate path 116 for the wirelesscommunications, wherein the communication is a point-to-point, ordirect, communication that does not pass through the base station 108.The communication from the first device 102 is routed through the basestation 108 to the remote device 106 and concurrently to the second orproximate device 104 directly over the alternate path 116.

The alternate path 116 is a point-to-point or direct link 117 from thefirst device 102 to the second device 104, which is also referred to assimplex mode or simplex operation. In this mode, the first communicationpath or the standard path 110 through the base station 108 is bypassedand the second device 104 receives the communication or informationdirectly from the first device 102, on the direct link 117 instead ofthrough the base station 108, as it would in standard operation. Thisdirect link 117, results in a decrease of the communication delayexperienced at the second or proximate device 104. In this exemplaryembodiment, an audio delay is illustrated. The delay, in generalhowever, is a communication delay and is present whether it is audio,video, or any type of data. The decreased communication latency is theresult of the elimination of the second link 118 to the base station 108and the processing that takes place therein. The decreased communicationlatency is also a result of reduced propagation effects due to thedirect link 117 or point-to-point connection. In order for the firstdevice 102 and the second device 104 to communicate directly in simplexmode, the two devices must be within range to effectively transmit andreceive RF communications to one another. When communicating, the firstdevice 102 communicates simultaneously with the proximate second device104 over the alternative path 116 and the third device 106 over thefirst link 112 and the second link 118 through the base station 108. Thedirect connection to the proximate devices is called the local areanetwork (LAN) while the connection with the base station 108 and remotedevice 106 is considered to be the wide area network (WAN).

The alternate path 116 may also be from the first device 102 through alocal area network access point or router to a second communicationdevice 104. In the case of a LAN access point, the first device 102 andthe second device 104 must be in range of the same access point (AP). Inthis exemplary embodiment, this is a wireless local area network (WLAN)access point or the like. One skilled in the art will also understand,as mentioned above, that a LAN can be a network of devices communicatingwith each other directly and not through an access point. The devicesthemselves form the LAN. The access point to a LAN, as discussed above,may be a wireless access point that complies with the 802.11 standard orWiFi or may also be a Bluetooth system or the like. This is also knownas a LAN or WLAN but involves the use of a wireless access point to theLAN as opposed to the devices connecting directly to one another.

Turning to FIG. 2, an exemplary block diagram of a wirelesscommunication device 200 in accordance with the present invention isshown. This exemplary embodiment can be a cellular radiotelephoneincorporating the present invention. However, it is to be understoodthat the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodimentsand may be utilized by other wireless communication devices such aswalkie-talkie devices, personal digital assistants, portable computingdevices, and the like, having wireless communication capabilitiesoperating through a base station or common node. In the exemplaryembodiment, a frame generator Application specific integrated Circuit(ASIC) 202, such as a CMOS ASIC and a microprocessor 204, combine togenerate the necessary communication protocol for operating in acellular system. Microprocessor 204 uses memory 206 comprising RAM 207,EEPROM 208, and ROM 209, preferably consolidated in one package 210, toexecute the steps necessary to generate the protocol and to performother functions for the wireless communication device, such as writingto a display 212, accepting information from a keypad 214, orcontrolling a frequency synthesizer 226. The memory 206 may also includea SIM card 232. ASIC 202 processes audio transformed by audio circuitry218 from a microphone 220 and to a speaker 222.

FIG. 2 also shows at least one transceiver 227 comprising receivercircuitry 228 that is capable of receiving RF signals from at least onebandwidth and optionally more bandwidths, if the communications with theproximate device are in a frequency band other than that of the networkcommunications. The receiver 228 may optionally comprise a firstreceiver and a second receiver, or one receiver capable of receiving intwo or more bandwidths. The receiver 228, depending on the mode ofoperation, may be attuned to receive PLMRS, AMPS, GSM, CDMA, UMTS,WCDMA, Bluetooth, WLAN, such as 802.11 communication signals forexample. The transceiver 227 includes at least one transmitter 234. Theat least one transmitter 234 may be capable of transmitting to multipledevices potentially on multiple frequency bands. As with the receiver228, dual transmitters 234 may optionally be employed where onetransmitter is for the transmission to a proximate device or direct linkestablishment to WLAN's and the other transmitter is for transmission tothe base station 108.

A wireless communication link can be established between the twoproximate devices in accordance with a plurality of methods and orprotocols. In one exemplary embodiment, the connection is establisheddirectly between the first device 102 and the second device 104, withoutthe aid of an intermediary network node such as a WLAN access point orthe base station 108 or the like. In another embodiment, the basestation 108 assists the proximate devices in establishing a directconnection therebetween.

Moving to FIGS. 3-4, the establishment of a direct connection betweenthe first device 102 and a proximate device 104 directly is illustrated.FIG. 3 illustrates the direct connection between the first device 102and the second device 104, without base station 108 assistance, whileFIG. 4 is an exemplary flow diagram of the same. The transmission 402 ofa request message by the first device 102 is illustrated by arrow 302and the reception of the acknowledgement message 404 by the seconddevice 104 is illustrated by arrow 304 in FIG. 3. In this embodiment,the first device 102 initiates the connection by transmitting therequest message 402 to any proximate wireless communication device 104to identify its presence. The request message 302 in one exemplaryembodiment includes an identification of a specific device to which aconnection is desired. In another exemplary embodiment, there is nospecific identification, but a general request message, requesting anyproximate wireless communication device, or devices within transmissionrange of the first device 102 to acknowledge the request. In theexemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the second device 104 isidentified in the request message 302 and the intended recipient device104 in response thereto, transmits an acknowledgement message 304 backto the first device 102. This acknowledgement message 304 is received404 at the first device 102 and a wireless communication link isestablished 408 between the proximate wireless communication device 104or devices and the first device 102. If the request message 302 includedthe specific device identification, the first device 102 checks theacknowledgement message 304 to determine if the acknowledgment message304 is from the second device 104 with the matching specific deviceidentification 406. If there is a match, then the second communicationpath 116 or direct link 117 is established 408 with the proximatewireless communication device 104. If an acknowledgment message 304 isnot received at the first device after waiting a predetermined time 410,the first device 102 will attempt to initiate a communication 412 withthe proximate wireless communication device 104 through the base station108.

In one embodiment, the user of the first device 102 selects a group ofusers desired to receive the communication. In this embodiment, therequest message 302 includes a plurality of device identifiers,identifying potential proximate wireless communication devices and inthe first step 402 requests the identification of a plurality ofproximate wireless communication devices, which are included in thegroup of users chosen by the user of the first device 102. This may beachieved by transmitting, along with the request 302, all identificationnumbers associated with each device in the group call that is desired tobe communicated with or only those that are known to be proximatelylocated to the first device 102. There are numerous ways to identify adevice such as telephone number, electronic serial number (ESN), amobile identification number (MIN) or the like.

Devices having the capability to transmit and receive directly to andfrom one another in this embodiment must either constantly monitor apredetermine channel or set of channels or be assigned a channel or setof channels to monitor for other proximate wireless communicationdevices. In one exemplary embodiment, the request is transmitted over asingle predetermined RF channel or a plurality of predetermined RFchannels monitored by similar devices. These similar devices may bedevices that normally operate on the same network such as a push-to-talkPLMRS network, a CDMA network, a GSM network, WCDMA network or a WLANfor example. Similar devices need only however have the capability tocommunicate directly with proximate devices as disclosed in theexemplary embodiments. In addition to the direct communicationcapability the device may also operate as a CDMA device and thereforemay communicate over the direct link 117 to a device that also operatesas a GSM device.

The ability to communicate directly with devices located in closeproximity to one another requires the ability to transmit and receive byeach proximate device on the appropriate frequencies. If the devicesoperate in simplex mode, one channel is used for transmission by bothdevices and only one device can transmit at a time. Two-waycommunication in full duplex operation, i.e. simultaneous communication,requires two separate frequencies or logical channels. In analogoperation, either of the two operation modes, whether over one channelor two, can be achieved without any channel setup or link establishmentas long as the communication channels or frequencies are predetermined.Digital systems however require the establishment of a logical link inorder to establish timing and frame sequencing to ensure that thedigital communications are received properly. The channels are stillpredetermined but devices must establish the logical links beforecommunications can occur. Therefore, before a call is placed between thedevices, remote or proximate, the logical link must be established. Thisis the case with push-to-talk systems such as PLMRS.

Devices that are within the direct transmission range of one another mayautomatically form logical links once they are in range, thereby forminga wireless local area network. This LAN or WLAN can be formed as an adhoc network or through assignments from the base station. Devices in aLAN which are formed in an ad hoc manner, form the LAN as they move inand out of each other's transmission range. In systems where the basestation 108 controls or determines the network of proximate devices 104,the location of each device 102, 104, 106 is known at the base station108. The base station 108 can then determine which devices are proximateto one another and notify those devices which channels to monitor ortransmit on. A distance threshold can be set or predetermined at thebase station 108 as to the required distance between the devicesnecessary to be considered proximate. In addition to the distancebetween the devices, other parameters or factors may be used such asdevice type, transmitter type, modulation and multiple access capabilityand the like to determine when one device is proximate to another. Oncethe proximate devices have received this information from the basestation 108 or have formed the logical link directly with the firstdevice 102, the LAN has been formed through the logical communicationlinks.

Once the proximate devices are logically linked and the wireless LANconnection formed and the proximate devices know the existence of oneanother, communications can be made directly between the proximatedevices, and not through the base station 108. In the exemplaryembodiment, a push-to-talk (PTT) mode is used to make the connectionbetween the devices, proximate and remote. One of the proximate devicesinitiates a push-to-talk call with both the base station 108, or thewide area network (WAN), and simultaneously with the proximate devicesvia the LAN. Communications proceed with all devices, directly with theproximate device(s) 104 and through the base station 108 for the remotedevice(s) 106. No matter which of the devices are communicating, anyproximate device will receive the communication directly as long as thatproximate device 104 is an intended recipient. If a proximate device 104moves out of range and cannot receive direct communications from theoriginating or first device 102 currently making the communication, thatproximate device 104 becomes a remote device 106. The device changingstatus from proximate device 104 to the remote device must then receivethe communication through the base station 108. It should also be notedthat the exemplary embodiment operates in a push-to-talk mode and oneskilled in the art will understand that the invention is applicable toany type of communication system with proximate devices.

In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 the firstdevice 102, the communication originating device, is logically connected502 to the proximate devices 104, and the base station 108 and theninitiates a PTT call 504. The base station 108 then sends a WANassignment message 602, as illustrated in FIG. 6 for the PTT calloriginated by the first device 102 which all devices receive. Theoriginating device 102 resumes its PTT communication with an uplink tothe WAN 704 and simultaneously with a direct connection 706 to theproximate devices 104 identified in the WAN assignment message 602 byuse of the wireless LAN connection. All proximate devices 104 have thebenefit of hearing a reduced delay audio signal, due to the directconnection 706, while all of the non-proximate, remote devices 106receive the PTT audio signal via the WAN 708 through the base station108. In this exemplary embodiment, the first device 102, is logicallylinked to the proximate devices 104 and the base station 108. In thisexemplary embodiment, the first device 102 initiates a PTT call to thebase station 108 over the WAN and a setup directly with the proximatedevice 104. The call to the proximate wireless communication device 106is not set up through the base station 108.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, another exemplary embodiment and flow diagram show thebase station 108 transmitting the WAN assignment message 802 after thefirst device 102 has established logical communication links with atleast one second device 104, i.e. at least one proximate device. In thisexemplary embodiment, the first device 102 initiates 902 a PTT call byonly transmitting to the base station 108 to set up the call. The basestation 108 transmits 904 the WAN assignment message 802 notifying theproximate device 104 that a PTT call has been initiated by the firstdevice 102. The setup of the PTT call is handled by the base station 108only, with all of the devices, proximate or remote in this exemplaryembodiment. Once the PTT call setup is established, the proximatedevices 104 can automatically receive the audio from the first device102, as the logical communication link is already in place. Theproximate devices 104 tune 906 to an assigned or predetermined channelto receive the audio from the first device 102. This reduces the currentdrain as there is no need for the proximate device 104 to continuouslymonitor for a direct point to point PTT call setup from the first device102 and the a PTT call setup from the base station 108. The proximatedevice 104 need only monitor the for a direct point to point PTT callsetup.

Moving to FIGS. 10 and 11, another embodiment and flow diagram is shownwherein a wireless local area network is not used in establishing thelogical communication link directly between the first device 102 and theat least one proximate device 104. In this embodiment, the first device102, which can be a proximate device 104, initiates 1102 a call bytransmitting a call request 1002 to the base station 108 over the WAN.In response to the call initiation, the base station 108 sends 1104 thecall channel assignments to all the devices with the WAN assignmentmessage 1004. Included in the WAN assignment message 1004, in thisembodiment, is the uplink information of the first device 102 which isthereby transmitted 1106 to the proximate devices 104. The uplinkinformation has the channel or frequency information that allows theproximate devices 104 to monitor or receive 1108 the audio communicationof the first device 102 when it is transmitting. The proximate device(s)104 therefore receive 1108 the audio communication directly from thefirst device 102 and the remote devices 106 continue to receive theaudio communication via the base station 108 using a single transmitter.In this embodiment, the proximate device(s) 104 may intermittently checkto see if they can decode the valid uplink WAN signals from the firstdevice 102 if they are not already decoding the uplink information. Theproximate device(s) 104 will have this information already from the WANassignment message and they are paired with the channel assignment madefor the WAN downlink. If the proximate device(s) 104 detect the validWAN uplink signals, they must be coming from a proximate subscriberdevice as the channel and synchronization information has already beenreceived. Uplink WAN signals will only be able to be received by devicesthat are very close to the transmitting subscriber device.

It is apparent that the least amount of latency would be likely obtainedwith the audio sent in parallel via the WLAN channel. However, asignificant reduction in audio delay would also be possible by theproximate user receiving the originator's uplink WAN signal directly. Itshould also be noted that in any of the embodiments that the downlinkchannel from the base station 108 may still always available to theproximate device 104, should the direct connection be lost due tomovement or obstruction. As the proximate device 104 moves and becomesremote, i.e. non-proximate, the proximate device 104 then will be becomea remote device 106 and in order to maintain communications willnecessarily need to continue the reception from the base station 108.

In the present invention, the direct link 117 establishment between theproximate devices 104 may be accomplished in an ad hoc fashion. In oneexemplary embodiment, neither the first device 102 nor the proximatedevice 104 is an established master or slave; a hierarchal relationshipbetween networked devices which is generally required to establish thecommunication link or local area network. However, in the presentinvention, both devices operate autonomously and independently, andtherefore an ad hoc process must determine who plays the role of the“master” device, thereby controlling communications between the devicesand maintaining the logical link therebetween. A “master” will controlthe flow of information between the two devices following apredetermined protocol to allow for efficient and common commandexecution. This is generally called a master-slave relationship and iscommon in networking protocols. In the present case, the close proximaterelationship, selection of the intended recipients address at the firstdevice 102 and subsequent activation of the first devices 102push-to-talk switch, may initiate the link establishment sequence. Or,if the link is established before a call is initiated and only when thedevices become proximately related, one device must be established asthe master. In either case, this link can be achieved by point-to-pointtransmissions from the first device 102 to a proximate device 104 forexample, or over a local area network as discussed above. Point-to-pointor direct communication however will achieve the least amount of audiolatency.

In one embodiment, an ad hoc network is formed as a result of the closeproximity of the two devices. In this embodiment, proximate devicesestablish a connection automatically without any action by the user ofeither device. Although this method applies to the establishment of anetwork among a plurality of devices, the connection of two devices isused for illustrative purposes. In this exemplary embodiment bothdevices, the first device 102 and a proximate device 104, transmit atrandom or pseudorandom times and intervals, discovery messages on apredetermined frequency or set of frequencies. Each discovery message isan “are you there” message, which is an inquiry or request message tothe other device, or devices, for an acknowledgment. When the respectivedevice is not sending a request message, that device is listening (i.e.the receiver is monitoring a frequency or set of frequencies foridentifiable messages) for a request message from the other device.Because each device is transmitting the request message at random timesand listening in-between transmissions, at some point in time, onedevice will be in receive mode and the other in transmit mode, and thereceiver will hear the request message. Receiving the request messagewill trigger a response by the receiving device. The receiving devicewill transmit an acknowledgement to the first or requesting device. Inthis embodiment, the requesting device takes on the role of the masterand controls the logical communication link from that point on.

This embodiment is illustrated in the exemplary flow chart in FIG. 12.First, the call is initiated or the first device 102 is looking todiscover proximate devices 104. Each device begins a link establishmentalgorithm 1204 and starts 1206 the random pre-transmit timer. Thealgorithm 1204 may wait a random pre-transmit time and, when thepre-transmit timer reaches zero 1208, transmit a first request message1210. The random pre-transmit time 1206 will cause the transmission of arequest message by each device to be staggered. As soon as the firstdevice 102 transmits the request message 1210, a second random timerbegins 1212. At the same time, the first device 102 goes into receivemode 1214 to monitor for a request message or acknowledgement messagefrom the second device 104. If the first device 102 has not received anacknowledgement message 1216 nor a request message 1218, and thetransmit interval timer has not reached zero 1220, then the first device102 continues to monitor for a message. If the random transmit intervaltimer reaches zero 1222, before an acknowledgment or request message hasbeen received, then the first device 102 will transmit another or secondrequest message 1210. If the first device 102 does receive anacknowledgment 1224, a link between the two devices has been establishedand data can be sent 1226. If a request message has been receivedinstead 1227, the first device 102 will transmit an acknowledge message1228 and then wait for more data 1230 from the second device 104. Thisis just one embodiment and as one of ordinary skill in the art willrecognize, there are other effective methods of establishing acommunication in an ad hoc fashion for the purposes of the presentinvention.

There are multiple methods of forming ad hoc and or mesh networks knownto those of ordinary skill in the art. These include, for example,several draft proposals for ad hoc network protocols including: The ZoneRouting Protocol (ZRP) for Ad Hoc Networks, Ad Hoc On Demand DistanceVector (AODV) Routing, The Dynamic Source Routing Protocol for Mobile AdHoc Networks, Topology Broadcast based on Reverse-Path Forwarding(TBRPF), Landmark Routing Protocol (LANMAR) for Large Scale Ad HocNetworks, Fisheye State Routing Protocol (FSR) for Ad Hoc Networks, TheInterzone Routing Protocol (IERP) for Ad Hoc Networks, The IntrazoneRouting Protocol (IARP) for Ad Hoc Networks, or The BordercastResolution Protocol (BRP) for Ad Hoc Networks.

In one exemplary embodiment, referring back to FIG. 2, the wirelesscommunication device 200 includes a controller or microprocessor 204, atransmitter 234 coupled to the microprocessor 204. The transmitter 234is capable of transmitting a first communication on a first link 112 anda second communication on a second link 116 simultaneously. The wirelesscommunication device 200 further includes a wide area networkcommunication module 290 coupled to the microprocessor 204 and aproximate device communication module 295 coupled to the microprocessor204. The wide area network communication module 290 is configured tocommunication to the base station 108, which is part of a wide areanetwork. In one exemplary embodiment the base station 108 is in adispatch communication system. In another exemplary embodiment, the basestation 108 is part of a cellular communication system. In general, abase station 108 is a device used to relay messages over greaterdistances than is possible with point-to-point communications. Theproximate device communication module 295, coupled to themicroprocessor, is configured to communicate a first communication onfirst link to a proximate to a proximate wireless communication device104 simultaneously with the wide area network communication module 290communicating with the base station 108. The wide area networkcommunication module communicates, simultaneously with communicating thefirst communication, a second communication on a second link to the basestation, wherein the first communication and the second communicationare substantially the same. The proximate device communication module295 is configured to communicate over a local area network of proximatewireless communication devices. In one embodiment the proximate devicecommunication module communicates with a proximate wirelesscommunication device 104 using an ad hoc networking protocol which maybe one of the protocols discussed above or the like. The wide areanetwork communication module 290 and the proximate device communicationmodule 295 may reside in the microprocessor 204 as independent hardwareor modules, in memory 206 or anywhere else in the wireless communicationdevice 200.

While the present inventions and what is considered presently to be thebest modes thereof have been described in a manner that establishespossession thereof by the inventors and that enables those of ordinaryskill in the art to make and use the inventions, it will be understoodand appreciated that there are many equivalents to the exemplaryembodiments disclosed herein and that myriad modifications andvariations may be made thereto without departing from the scope andspirit of the inventions, which are to be limited not by the exemplaryembodiments but by the appended claims.

1. A method in a wireless handheld communication device for reducing acommunication delay at a proximate wireless communication devicecomprising: communicating a first communication on first link to aproximate wireless communication device; and communicatingsimultaneously with communicating said first communication, a secondcommunication on a second link to a base station, wherein said firstcommunication and said second communication are substantially the same.2. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating said secondcommunication further comprises communicating said second communicationto a remote device by relaying said second communication through saidbase station to said remote device.
 3. The method of claim 2, furthercomprising communicating with said remote device and said proximatewireless communication device simultaneously, wherein a firstcommunication delay associated with said first communication to saidproximate wireless communication device is less than a secondcommunication delay associated with said second communication to saidremote device relayed through said base station.
 4. The method of claim1, further comprising prior to communicating said first communication tosaid proximate wireless communication device, receiving from a wirelesslocal area network, a notification that at least one said proximatewireless communication device is currently connected to said wirelesslocal area network.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprisingactivating a push-to-talk communication button or a send key prior tothe step of communicating said first communication.
 6. The method ofclaim 2, wherein said first link is a direct link to said proximatewireless communication device for communicating said first communicationwith a reduced audio latency relative to said second communicationrelayed through said base station to said remote device.
 7. The methodof claim 6, further comprising identifying said proximate wirelesscommunication device as a wireless communication device, proximate tosaid wireless handheld communication device.
 8. The method of claim 7,wherein said step of identifying said proximate wireless communicationdevice comprises: transmitting a proximate device request message; andreceiving a proximate device response message from said proximatewireless communication device in response to said transmitting saidproximate device request message.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein saidstep of identifying said proximate wireless communication devicecomprises receiving a proximate device notification message from saidbase station, said proximate device notification message identifyingsaid proximate wireless communication device, as a wirelesscommunication device, proximate to said wireless handheld communicationdevice.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: establishing saidfirst link with said proximate wireless communication device identifiedin said proximate device notification message from said base station,wherein said first link with said proximate wireless communicationdevice is a direct link between said wireless communication device andsaid proximate wireless communication device; and establishing saidsecond link with said remote device through said base station.
 11. Themethod of claim 8, further comprising prior to said step of transmittingsaid proximate device request message, activating a push-to-talkcommunication button or a send key.
 12. The method of claim 7, whereinsaid step of identifying said proximate wireless communication devicecomprises initiating an ad hoc network with at least one proximatewireless communication device.
 13. The method of claim 6, furthercomprising determining that a communication quality of said firstcommunication on said first link has decreased below a predeterminedthreshold; and communicating through said base station with saidproximate device in response to determining said communication qualityin said first link has decrease below a predetermined threshold.
 14. Amethod in a wireless communication system comprising: receiving a firstdevice channel assignment at a first device, said first device channelassignment comprising a first device uplink channel; and informing asecond device, proximate to said first device, of said first devicechannel assignment.
 15. The method of claim 14, further comprisingcommunicating an audio signal on said first device uplink channel with abase station.
 16. The method of claim 15 further comprising monitoringdirectly by said second device, said audio signal of said first deviceon said first device uplink channel.
 17. The method of claim 16, furthercomprising: determining that the quality of said audio signal is below apredetermined threshold; canceling said monitoring directly said audiosignal from said first device; and monitoring said audio signal fromsaid base station.
 18. A method in a communication device for reducingthe audio latency at a proximate communication device comprising:transmitting a first communication over a first direct link to aproximate communication device; and transmitting, simultaneously withtransmitting said first communication, a second communication to a basestation over a second link, different from said first link, wherein saidfirst communication and said second communication are substantially thesame.
 19. A wireless communication device comprising: a microprocessor;a transmitter coupled to said microprocessor, said transmitter capableof transmitting on a first link and a second link simultaneously; aproximate device communication module coupled to said microprocessor,said proximate device communication module communicating a firstcommunication on first link to a proximate wireless communicationdevice; and a wide area network communication module coupled to saidmicroprocessor, said wide area network module communicating,simultaneously with communicating said first communication, a secondcommunication on a second link to a base station, wherein said firstcommunication and said second communication are substantially the same.20. The device of claim 19, wherein said wide area network communicationmodule is configured to communication to a wireless local area network.21. The device of claim 19, wherein said proximate device communicationmodule is configured to communicate over a local area network.